London is a huge, sometimes daunting city that people from all over the world call home. Students in particular—whether born and bred in London, journeying from the further reaches of the UK or from other countries—find themselves in this vast metropolis to take advantage of the many exceptional universities (like the London School of Economics, SOAS, Imperial College London and Goldsmiths, along with many more), along with cultural attractions, entertainment and great food. But with its damp weather and occasionally surly locals, London can be a difficult place to live, especially if you’re a PhD or Masters candidate working on a thesis through a miserable winter. So where do you turn when you just need to get out of the …

The problem In the complicated workplace of punctuation, the poor old hyphen needs to form a union. It dutifully performs its role of joining compound words and reliably appears when a suffix or prefix needs assistance. However, many students and writers drag the overworked hyphen into use while the en dash and em dash rest sadly on the sidelines. Dashes and hyphens have distinctly different uses, and while the rest of the world seems to have retired the dashes permanently, their correct use is still extremely important in academia and publishing. In fact, the incorrect use of dashes and hyphens is perhaps one of the most common errors encountered during editing. The solution In the interests of resting the exhausted …

Completing your thesis is a major milestone. You will have invested years of research, writing (and re-writing!) into this project, and will probably be feeling exhausted, proud and hesitant in equal measures. Where to now? Many people feel the natural next step is to publish their thesis. This blog will examine the road to formal publication. Before you embark on publication, you need to ask yourself an important question. Will all the work involved in the publication process be worth it? If you want to continue in academia, or move into an academically aligned profession, then the answer may be ‘yes’. If so, consider the following advice. We’ve created a checklist to step you through the process of publishing your thesis. …

‘My advice is to never do tomorrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time.’—Charles Dickens The problem with procrastination is that it is just too easy to do. If there is still one week until the essay is due, surely there is time to watch a few more episodes of your favourite TV programme? After decades of studying and working as an editor, I am all too familiar with procrastination strategies and the process of internal bargaining. Depending on the dullness or complexity of the task, sometimes even mopping the floor or tackling the ironing basket is a preferable option. On the surface, the solution is time management. This is certainly a valuable skill, particularly …

For students writing a thesis, it can be a long and sometimes lonely journey. From the big lecture theatres and lively tutorial groups of undergraduate study, the solitary work of the PhD or masters student can be a culture shock, especially when you find yourself shut off in your bedroom, toiling at your desk day after day. A good way to feel connected with other people is to venture out into the wider world every so often, laptop and readings at the ready. But how do you find a good place to work? There are a few essentials that you need to tick off in any public workspace: good-sized tables accessible power outlets bathroom comfortable seating good lighting appropriate opening …

It’s very easy to stress out, go into a cave, see no-one, eat instant noodles and hunch over your computer for three years while writing your thesis. However, it’s important for PhD candidates to take care of themselves while under pressure. This helps you to withstand that pressure, improves the quality of your work and allows you to emerge at the other end with your relationships, mind and body intact. Remember: a PhD is a marathon, not a sprint. Posture With the majority of students working hunched over laptops these days, a lasting legacy of your PhD could be a bad back. It’s essential to remember that, because of the way laptops are designed, it’s very easy to slump into …